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Sewing
All Things Home

green velvet seat covers

While I had the sewing machines out and my mom’s help, I decided to make seat covers for the barrel-back French chairs I’ve had for years.  I have wanted to cover the vintage cushions on these chairs since I first bought them.  They were cream, but the leather was dingy and there was no amount of cleaning that would make them look nice.  Since they are cream, though, they weren’t too offensive if you didn’t pay close attention to them, so they were easy to ignore.  And that’s what I decided to stop procrastinating on them. I covered them in a yummy green velvet fabric that I traded for some furniture before our move.  It was such a great fabric that I knew I would find a use for it down the road.  I have earmarked it for the dining room curtains, but I had enough to use some for

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September 19, 2023 16 Comments
All Things Home

making a slipcover for a recliner

Shortly after we moved in, I bought a manual wingchair recliner off of Facebook Marketplace for $40.  I had a feeling it would be a “placeholder” for a nicer recliner in the future, but it seemed like a good tester piece.  We could see how much we used it, see how it fit in the room (while fully open), and help us make a more informed decision in the future.  I intended to make a slipcover for this recliner, but after using it for a few weeks, it became clear that it wasn’t worth the effort or the cost.  The chair wasn’t comfortable and piece by piece, the mechanism was falling apart and got to the point where it would just randomly pop open. So, for almost a year, I looked around at recliners.  I looked at new and used and was very wishy-washy and undecided.  I didn’t mind saving

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September 5, 2023 29 Comments
All Things Home

custom living room blackout curtains

As I’ve shared over the past couple of weeks, I have to bounce between things that need to be done that aren’t super exciting (like organizing the basement and wiping wallpaper glue off the walls) and things that flex my creativity and are fun.  By jumping between the two, I feel like I’m productive, moving the needle in the things that need to be done, but I’m also staying motivated and feeling fulfilled.  It’s a delicate balance but it seems to be working.  Aside from a few boxes in out-of-the-way places, we are unpacked and able to live comfortably in the house.  We’ve made the sprint and can now slow to a comfortable jog for the next few years to bring this house to where we envision it.  One of the fun things (whether sewing is fun is debatable) I worked on last week was making custom blackout curtains for

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November 7, 2022 22 Comments
All Things Home

how to make a custom pleated lampshade cover | video tutorial

When I shared that I wanted to cover the lampshades in my family room, several people asked if I would share my method.  I have covered lampshades in the past, but I don’t think I’ve ever done it the same way twice.  I’ve used peel-and-stick lampshades.  I’ve adhered fabric to a shade using spray adhesive.  I’ve hot glued fabric and/or trim, sewed lampshade slipcovers, and painted tired shades.  I feel like I might win at a game of DIY lampshade cover Bingo.  So, I’ve learned a lot along the way about what works and looks nice and what looks like a DIY lampshade cover.  Before getting to the family room lampshades, which are a bit of a tricky shape, I decided to test out some things on a couple of simpler lampshades.  I made a mini pleated cover for a drum shade and a wider pleated cover for an empire

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November 3, 2022 34 Comments
crafts

mini advent stocking tutorial | Christmas crafts

Disclosure: This mini advent stocking tutorial is sponsored by Walmart.  As always, all words and opinions shared are honest and my own. When I shared my mini advent stockings just a few weeks ago, several people asked me for measurements and more information so they could make their own.  I already have a full set and some extras, but I measured the ones I have, made a template, and made one so I could share a mini advent stocking tutorial.  It’s a little close to Christmas to try to whip out advent stockings, but it would be a fun project to work on over the year with fabric scraps. My set of stockings was originally made by Ann of On Sutton Place and she did a beautiful job on them.  She is so much more precise than I am!  As I was cutting custom tags using the Cricut and other

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December 21, 2021 5 Comments
Sewing

linen slipcovers one year later

Do you remember the linen slipcovers I made last year about this time?  I made a pair of linen slipcovers to cover the stained end chairs at our kitchen table… You can find the tutorials and sources for these linen slipcovers HERE. They look beatiful and have washed well except for one thing… When I wash them, the ends fray, and the seams come undone in a few places.  I have never had that happen with slipcovers before, but I also haven’t used this specific linen and I have never washed slipcovers this often!  Because these are used all the time, the boys typically eat sitting at these chairs, and the cats love napping on these chairs, I wash them about once every month or two. I just take the slipcovers up to the sewing room and fix the area, so it hasn’t been a huge deal, but I wouldn’t

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April 23, 2021 36 Comments
All Things Home

how to make a gathered sink skirt

I actually made this sink skirt and shot a tutorial for it over the summer, when I was working on a flurry of projects for my book (coming this fall.)   It was supposed to be a tutorial for the book, but I decided not to add it in.  There were a few reasons for that… 1 – I couldn’t get a really great shot of it, because the bathroom is so small, the lighting is poor, and the mirror would reflect the brightly lit foyer. 2 – I wasn’t sure if it really was a good project.  I sort of made it up as I went along, literally using materials I had leftover from other projects. 3 – Because I was making it up as I went, it’s not perfect. 4 – I wasn’t sure it would be practical long-term.  I even planned on making a new one almost immediately

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March 17, 2021 37 Comments
All Things Home

DIY sewing scissors case & hemming linen towels

As I shared in Monday’s post, I’m taking the time to work through small projects as I come across specific materials I purchased with the intention of making them.  I think that’s one of the problems with being someone who likes projects – we’re always collecting materials, tools, and supplies for the next project.  Or 15 projects.  While I had the ironing board out and was already working on measuring, cutting, and sewing for the rice & lavender hot/cold packs, I decided to hem some linen towels and make a case for my embroidery scissors out of some scraps. I purchased a couple of yards of THIS linen toweling when I was ordering some linen fabric for other projects with the intention of making some more kitchen dish towels.  (They have all sorts of patterns and colors, too.)  I washed and cut the fabric, but never hemmed it to finish

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February 10, 2021 22 Comments

I’m Marian, a painter, writer, and lover of all things creative. From art and antiques to home projects and everyday life, I share my journey in hopes of inspiring you to embrace your own creativity and make beauty in the spaces you live.

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